Here's an update on what Xav is up to and what he can do!
VITAL STATS (as of 1/23/09): Xav is rounder than he is long *sigh*
Weight: 13 lb 15 oz, currently in 25-50% percentile vs. 5% percentile at birth
Height: 24" long, currently in 20% percentile vs. 5% percentile at birth
MILESTONES
Sleep: Xav is a natural night-owl so we did a day/night adjustment at 8 weeks of age (torture!). Now he goes down at 11pm on a good night, 1 - 2am on a bad night, and wakes up "for real" at 10am. Depending upon when he goes down, he usually wakes up 2x to eat. So far, his record is 5.5 hours straight at night and he JUST did that!
First non-sleep smile: 6-weeks. Xiao Gu cooing at him prompted him to smile! She and Xiao Gu-fu have always been great with kids!
Things that make him smile:
you smiling at him
silly faces
silly sounds
the mirror
music
playing "catch" (Ray literally throws his ball at him and each "bonk" makes Xav smile, strange, huh?)
watching his mobile
First silent laugh: 8-weeks. Cannot remember what caused this...oops.
First audible laugh: 2.5 months. Sounds like "huh!" If very amused, "huh huh huh." If he thinks you're hilarious, he will actually scream with laughter! I caused his first laugh by swinging him up in the air, the higher he went, the louder he laughed. We called Daddy right away at work to share the moment!
Things that make him laugh:
being swung or tossed into the air
snuggling into his neck
silly faces/sounds
fiddling with his lower lip
Babbling: Xav can be quite talkative. He "talks" in multi-syllabic nonsense right now.
Sounds he makes most frequently:
Ah-goo
Ah-ba
Ah-gwa (like "agua")
Ah-bla (like "habla")
Ah-lua
Ba ba ba ba
Oooh/Oohm
He also experiments with volume. Sometimes he'll scream, just to test out his lungs - which gives me a heart attack - and I'll hold my finger to my lips and whisper, "no screaming."
Physical development: At 3-months, Xav held his head up well. He's actually had a stiff neck from the start...not sure if this will also be in the figurative sense, given his parents' bull-headed natures! We are working on rolling over and sitting up now. At 4-months, Xav is really good at bringing his hands to his mouth and is starting to intentionally reach for other things, too. He LOVES sucking his thumb/fingers and will also try to stuff both fists into his tiny mouth. He is definitely fascinated by his hands right now and will stick out one or both arms and just stare at his hands (I call it his "up, up, and away" pose). I noticed that he can also do the Star Trek sign (I can't, Ray can) and sometimes he does lotus hands and my favorite, the rock 'n' roll sign! At 3.5 months, he discovered the mirror and likes to smile at his and your images. He is still fascinated by lights and will just stare and stare and stare.
Personality: Xav's personality is really emerging right now. He is easy-going, sociable, and cheerful. He smiles at smiling or silly faces and is generous with his smiles. He only cries if he's uncomfortable, hungry, over-tired or if he wants attention/affection. Sometimes I'll put him in his crib for a nap but b/c he knows we're in the living room watching TV, he "coughs" for my attention and then will promptly close his eyes and fall asleep on the couch, on his special spot. Sometimes he'll even let out a mini old-man sigh, smile, and then close his eyes!
Xav can be pretty intense and serious, too, and has been very alert since birth. He seems to pause to take in new experiences before deciding how he feels (this thinking-before-reacting is definitely like his dad!).
Likes:
Xav loves taking baths but only with water that is warmer than what's recommended. He's quite a sybarite! If I use room-temp water, as recommended, he's stiff and quiet through the whole bath. If I use warm water, he totally relaxes into the bath and smiles the whole time like a Roman emperor!
Swings - he adores being swung or being in the baby swing.
Music - he likes listening to music and dancing (I hold him while dancing).
Dislikes:
He hates when I clean his neck.
Being strapped into his carseat or Moby - he will fidget/arch his back or cry.
